Probably too short for this list, but the overture to Candide may be the greatest maximum of joy and craftsmanship and non-draining-ness per minute! Bonus, IMO the second theme (O happy we) is the greatest tune in 7 ever written.
New subscriber here and classical music listener. I’ve been having a blast binge-watching your videos recently and really enjoy your witty and even brutally honest reactions to various pieces. Looking forward to more of them
I think you’re on to a great concept here Maestro Hurwitz. I’m loving it. Would love for you to continue this and hit all the emotions: angriest, saddest, most joyful and uplifting, mostest “Spiritual” etc….would also love a series on pieces that were giants of the repertoire that have all but disappeared-and why, and beloved pieces of today that were reviled and ignored when they were written.
Chabrier Danse villageoise (Village Dance) No.7 from Pièces pittoresques - as played at the piano by Marcelle Meyer in 1955. Chabrier also orchestrated it as the second movement of his Suite pastorale - due out on Eloquence this week in a matchless performance from Paul Paray/Detroit Symphony (yay!).
Well, in “Agon”, which is one of my favorite works, and which is like a bubbly music history lesson from ancient to contemporary, there is a highly emotional moment. It’s toward the end, when we are in 12-tone territory, and Stravinsky brings back the tonal chords which open the piece. It’s astonishing the way he does it, with a pre-echo in the horns. The notes of the chords match up the relevant part of the tone row. We’re brought full circle. The beauty of it is intellectual, theatrical, and sensuous. It sometimes makes me shed a tear.
Steven Reich's works for percussion. Intellectually fascinating, requiring unbelievable technical rigor, but ultimately appreciated without any emotional attachment or response.
@@KingstonCzajkowski I should say that I do listen to and enjoy Reich; I suppose I shouldn't throw stones - Morton Feldman produces that effect in me. :)
Like the description of Feste Romana. I've heard it played in a triptych with Pines of Rome and Fountains of Rome and it doesn't work well there, it seems too gaudy and empty compared with them. As a loud standalone fun piece it's fine! If we want charming well-crafted beautiful music, how about Dvorak's String and Wind Serenades? Always enjoyable to listen to.
Dave thanks for the inclusive list (Mozart & Beethoven with Riley & Feldman). Like mostly everyone who listens to 'In C' I own multiple interpretations of the work. I recently listened to 'In C Mali' as performed a group of Malian musicians with Brian Eno and Damon Albarn. It premiered in 2014 and was the first African interpretation of the work and is available on CD. It sits on the shelf by the Chinese version and the performance by the Styrenes - a Cleveland rock band. Thanks for the list!
That's a nice list! and now this is my mini list: 1. Water Music by Handel, I mean I love it but it's purpose was royal entertainment and it delivers on the promise. It was written to sounds good while being played on a boat! 2. Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich, a classic Minimalistic piece and worth listening 3. The typewriter by Leroy Andersson, I know it is not a major work but it is a fun joke
Imagine programming an entire pure fun but non-draining concert. For example: Overture “Candide” followed by the Triple Concerto, and after intermission, Sinfonia Domestica.
So I looked at the list and was prepared to blow it off as "least emotionally draining" until I saw the list in the description and saw Agon. And while I totally admit it is one of Stravinsky's intentionally least emotional works, sitting at that very transition of neo-classical and neo-romantic, where he was all about "music can express nothing"... ...i just gotta know what you said about it. Maybe just what I just wrote, but maybe not. he's so great to explore in his contradicting philosophies.
Hindemith's “Ouvertüre zum "Fliegenden Holländer", wie sie eine schlechte Kurkapelle morgens um 7 am Brunnen vom Blatt spielt” (“Overture to the Flying Dutchman as Sight-read by a Bad Spa Orchestra at 7 in the Morning by the Well”) would have to be on my list.
My interest was immediately piqued by mention of the Feldman and the Riley, which makes me wonder what on earth I am morphing into in my old age. But it was Agon by Stravinsky that I revisited after I listened to the video the first time. What a marvelous machination that is. I was wondering if you were going to list Carmina Burana, and you did! When I was a teenager and found that piece, I thought I had died and gone to classical music heaven. Maybe I’ll let Carmina Burana take me out for another twirl one of these days. What I would put on my own list: the finale from George Lloyd’s 5th symphony. Loved the video David. Thanks.
Great list! Let's try it myself, as before without doubling your suggestions, and without mentioning another Respighi. That would be too cheap. (Besides: I like this guy, and the "Feste" are one of my favourites.) The list is alphabetically until the last three. 1) BERNSTEIN: Ouverture to "Candide" - oh dear, that is so brillant, so witty, wonderfully written and with such great tunes! There's nearly nothing like it! (I could mention the whole operetta - I think, it's the only of Bernstein's works, which is brilliantly cold.) 2) BLACHER: "Concertante Musik" - Blacher was one of the german composers, who tried to avoid expression. This is a cleverly crafted 10-minute-piece with shrugging rhythms, which lead to a melody, which sounds like frozen Tchaikovski. 3) HOLST: "The Perfect Fool - Dances" - I could have suggested "The Planets", but I must say that there are moments in the "Planets", which are emotionally gripping for me. But these dances are gripping, too, just nut emotionally. It's a brillant cold piece, I like to hear, when the weather is as hot as it is today in Vienna. 4) LIGETI: "Lontano" - a work of great beauty; soft colours changing, sort of a melody, which is more the listeners impression than the composers aim, wonderfully scored. 5) MESSIAEN: "Turangalila" - the love-and-sex-piece is juicy and sweet and enormously colourful, but not really emotionally moving. But I like it! It's just fun! 6) MILHAUD: "La création du monde" - a work without great emotions, but the rhythms are sheer pleasure, and the jazz-fugue is a marvel. That I call entertainment! 7) RAMEAU: Suite from "Les Indes galantes" - a masterpiece! Full of great dance tunes, and the finale with "les sauvages" is irresistable. Seldom a cold music gives so much pleasure. 8) McPHEE: "Tabuh-Tabuhan" - this marvellous "Toccata for orchestra" is a mosaique of repetitions; the energy is breathtaking, the orchestral sound clear and colourful. The whole work is a study in minimalism long before minimal music was invented. 9) FOULDS: "Three Mantras" - "Activity", "Bliss" and "Will", evoked in a music of rhythmic fervour, wonderfully scored. At first hearing, it left me breathless because of it's energy - but emotion? No, it would be out of place. 10) DEBUSSY: "Nocturnes" - one of the coldest, but one of the most fascinating works I know. Three marvellous studies of colour, shape and chord density, and my example that great music doesn't need emotion, when the composer has other stuff in mind.
Mainly because I’ve been listening to it lately, but de Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat is great Spanish inconsequence that demands nothing but gives everything.
Before I listened to Mr. Hurwitz’ video, the only music that I could think of was Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik, so perhaps Dave and I have similar views of this work. After listening to the video, I thought of Pachelbel’s Canon.
Great list, as usual. You're a guru, Dave. Any (or all) of Respighi's Roman Trilogy would work for me. For pure mindless fun I might choose Till Eulenspiegel for my Strauss item. Incidentally, Bolero was a popular sex piece when I was in college in the late 60's, well before "Ten" pointed it out.
A list of boring/ thoughtless/overplayed/overrated pieces would be great :D I love to see you joking about less ... astonishing pieces. Thank you for your work, Dave!
The mention of having sex to Bolero reminded me of a guy I met in New York in the 70s who said he loved having sex to the last movement of Mahler’s 4th Symphony. Chacun à son goût, but it would certainly be much more satisfying than trying to coordinate oneself with the hammer blow of the 6th Symphony’s last movement.
I knew Stravinsky would be on the list and I very much like Mr. Hurwitz's appreciative selection of Agon, a true masterpiece. However, the first unexpressive Stravinsky work that came to my mind is another masterpiece, the Octet for Winds.
How can you be so heartless about Carmina Burana. Think of the poor swan, turning over the fire! It's either emotionally draining or mouth watering. Given your association of Bolero with more modern "abstract" composition, can we say Ravel was the first minimalist? Or at least precursor?
Here’s a work I would highly recommend for a list like this: Vincent Persichetti’s “Masquerade” for concert band. Surprisingly consequential, amazingly modernist, yet emotionally light.
Hi David! Would you consider completing your Well-Tempered music video cycle at some time? I'm still waiting for you to get to that limbo of F sharp major.
Funny, no one's mentioned Poulenc. His light and frothy ballet suite Les biches should earn a spot on the the list. Same goes Concert champêtre or the concerto for two pianos. The surrealist farce, les mamelles de Tirésias is a hoot.
I think anything by PDQ Bach beats this whole list but jokes aside maybe I'm going for more fun works but I might add Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije ( yes it does have some political meaning nonetheless it is really fun and farcical,) I might add his Classical symphony to that as well. I will also add Debussy's Sunken Cathedral (This one's particularly fun to play.) I agree with you about the Beethoven triple concerto but I think I'd also add the 8th symphony ( which I adore,) I mean quite a bit of it is just making fun of metronomes and if you want a laugh Wellington's Victory is there too. I think Stravinsky's Petrouschka fits this at least for me. The one I'm somewhat astounded you didn't include is the 1812 overture or the Nutcracker, I mean one those has to make am I right?
I was waiting for Stravinsky to pop up. I thought of Apollo but Agon's a better choice. Personally, I would nominate virtually all of Webern whose music is devoid of emotion or expression, intentionally so I'm sure.
Yes Stravinsky was good at leaving emotion aside. With an exception of at least this, a great one for me - of the chorale at the end of Symphonies of Wind Instruments. To be sure it’s not emotionally draining like … you name it. However 🙏🏽
For me, Pulcinella does the trick, easy to listen and enjoy, pure delight, no emotion. Agon requires too much attention, maybe because I didn't listen it enough. So here I am, having to keep on listening. Thank you, Dave!
Riley In C? That's an incredibly stressful work. Every time I sit thru it, while praying for a quick end, I grit my teeth and internally rage in disgust at that stupid piece of anti-music. It drains me. It may be "iconic", but it's not great music.
I love Riley in C and have multiple versions of it. Of course it is perfectly OK to hate it but in that case why do you have to listen to it at all? Just curious.
I find Bolero very boring with its repeated musical phrases. The snare drum player doesn't need to have his snare drum part in front of him on a stand ,but merely plays as if he was a human metronome .Just my opinion, of course.
I despise it too. And it would not surprise me if in fact more people hate it than love it (excluding those who have no taste at all, of course). Also it seems fairly well established that Ravel himself was sorry he wrote it. Then (oh the agony …) Maurice Béjart made a horrible ballet (so to speak) out of it that adds insult to injury (or schlock to boredom, as the case may be). Béjart was a fantastically innovative choreographer, but seems to have periodically had serious lapses in judgment and this was, in my opinion, the worst one.
Number 11: Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony. It sits in that sweet spot just between Eine kleine Nachtmusik and Pulcinella.
Yes was shocked that wasn’t on the list ! And it is a great piece!
Probably too short for this list, but the overture to Candide may be the greatest maximum of joy and craftsmanship and non-draining-ness per minute! Bonus, IMO the second theme (O happy we) is the greatest tune in 7 ever written.
Good one.
Absolutely true.
Sanjosemike (no longer in CA)
Yes - the bang! bang! bang! dadadadada ... reminds me of a wind-up monkey banging cymbals toy.
New subscriber here and classical music listener. I’ve been having a blast binge-watching your videos recently and really enjoy your witty and even brutally honest reactions to various pieces. Looking forward to more of them
Awesome! Thank you!
I think you’re on to a great concept here Maestro Hurwitz. I’m loving it. Would love for you to continue this and hit all the emotions: angriest, saddest, most joyful and uplifting, mostest “Spiritual” etc….would also love a series on pieces that were giants of the repertoire that have all but disappeared-and why, and beloved pieces of today that were reviled and ignored when they were written.
I nominate the music of Leroy Anderson! Well crafted music just to give us easy listening pleasure.
Chabrier Danse villageoise (Village Dance) No.7 from Pièces pittoresques - as played at the piano by Marcelle Meyer in 1955.
Chabrier also orchestrated it as the second movement of his Suite pastorale - due out on Eloquence this week in a matchless performance from Paul Paray/Detroit Symphony (yay!).
Well, in “Agon”, which is one of my favorite works, and which is like a bubbly music history lesson from ancient to contemporary, there is a highly emotional moment. It’s toward the end, when we are in 12-tone territory, and Stravinsky brings back the tonal chords which open the piece. It’s astonishing the way he does it, with a pre-echo in the horns. The notes of the chords match up the relevant part of the tone row. We’re brought full circle. The beauty of it is intellectual, theatrical, and sensuous. It sometimes makes me shed a tear.
🤣
Steven Reich's works for percussion. Intellectually fascinating, requiring unbelievable technical rigor, but ultimately appreciated without any emotional attachment or response.
Music for 18 musicians.
@@KingstonCzajkowski I should say that I do listen to and enjoy Reich; I suppose I shouldn't throw stones - Morton Feldman produces that effect in me. :)
@@KingstonCzajkowskifascinating I don’t agree at all. I feel so light and freed by music for 18 musicians
Like the description of Feste Romana. I've heard it played in a triptych with Pines of Rome and Fountains of Rome and it doesn't work well there, it seems too gaudy and empty compared with them. As a loud standalone fun piece it's fine! If we want charming well-crafted beautiful music, how about Dvorak's String and Wind Serenades? Always enjoyable to listen to.
Dave thanks for the inclusive list (Mozart & Beethoven with Riley & Feldman). Like mostly everyone who listens to 'In C' I own multiple interpretations of the work. I recently listened to 'In C Mali' as performed a group of Malian musicians with Brian Eno and Damon Albarn. It premiered in 2014 and was the first African interpretation of the work and is available on CD. It sits on the shelf by the Chinese version and the performance by the Styrenes - a Cleveland rock band. Thanks for the list!
That's a nice list! and now this is my mini list:
1. Water Music by Handel, I mean I love it but it's purpose was royal entertainment and it delivers on the promise. It was written to sounds good while being played on a boat!
2. Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich, a classic Minimalistic piece and worth listening
3. The typewriter by Leroy Andersson, I know it is not a major work but it is a fun joke
Imagine programming an entire pure fun but non-draining concert.
For example: Overture “Candide” followed by the Triple Concerto, and after intermission, Sinfonia Domestica.
I love the Beethoven Triple Concerto, but your analysis is spot on. It may be the most "formal" work he ever wrote.
So I looked at the list and was prepared to blow it off as "least emotionally draining" until I saw the list in the description and saw Agon.
And while I totally admit it is one of Stravinsky's intentionally least emotional works, sitting at that very transition of neo-classical and neo-romantic, where he was all about "music can express nothing"...
...i just gotta know what you said about it. Maybe just what I just wrote, but maybe not. he's so great to explore in his contradicting philosophies.
I feel like almost half of John Adams' catalogue fits into this description. Slonimsky's Earbox, Lollapalooza, Chamber Concerto, Absolute Jest.
The third movement of Barber’s violin Concerto, a maddeningly dizzy piece that makes you scratch your head wondering what the heck it’s all about
Hindemith's “Ouvertüre zum "Fliegenden Holländer", wie sie eine schlechte Kurkapelle morgens um 7 am Brunnen vom Blatt spielt” (“Overture to the Flying Dutchman as Sight-read by a Bad Spa Orchestra at 7 in the Morning by the Well”) would have to be on my list.
My interest was immediately piqued by mention of the Feldman and the Riley, which makes me wonder what on earth I am morphing into in my old age. But it was Agon by Stravinsky that I revisited after I listened to the video the first time. What a marvelous machination that is.
I was wondering if you were going to list Carmina Burana, and you did! When I was a teenager and found that piece, I thought I had died and gone to classical music heaven. Maybe I’ll let Carmina Burana take me out for another twirl one of these days.
What I would put on my own list: the finale from George Lloyd’s 5th symphony.
Loved the video David. Thanks.
Great list! Let's try it myself, as before without doubling your suggestions, and without mentioning another Respighi. That would be too cheap. (Besides: I like this guy, and the "Feste" are one of my favourites.)
The list is alphabetically until the last three.
1) BERNSTEIN: Ouverture to "Candide" - oh dear, that is so brillant, so witty, wonderfully written and with such great tunes! There's nearly nothing like it! (I could mention the whole operetta - I think, it's the only of Bernstein's works, which is brilliantly cold.)
2) BLACHER: "Concertante Musik" - Blacher was one of the german composers, who tried to avoid expression. This is a cleverly crafted 10-minute-piece with shrugging rhythms, which lead to a melody, which sounds like frozen Tchaikovski.
3) HOLST: "The Perfect Fool - Dances" - I could have suggested "The Planets", but I must say that there are moments in the "Planets", which are emotionally gripping for me. But these dances are gripping, too, just nut emotionally. It's a brillant cold piece, I like to hear, when the weather is as hot as it is today in Vienna.
4) LIGETI: "Lontano" - a work of great beauty; soft colours changing, sort of a melody, which is more the listeners impression than the composers aim, wonderfully scored.
5) MESSIAEN: "Turangalila" - the love-and-sex-piece is juicy and sweet and enormously colourful, but not really emotionally moving. But I like it! It's just fun!
6) MILHAUD: "La création du monde" - a work without great emotions, but the rhythms are sheer pleasure, and the jazz-fugue is a marvel. That I call entertainment!
7) RAMEAU: Suite from "Les Indes galantes" - a masterpiece! Full of great dance tunes, and the finale with "les sauvages" is irresistable. Seldom a cold music gives so much pleasure.
8) McPHEE: "Tabuh-Tabuhan" - this marvellous "Toccata for orchestra" is a mosaique of repetitions; the energy is breathtaking, the orchestral sound clear and colourful. The whole work is a study in minimalism long before minimal music was invented.
9) FOULDS: "Three Mantras" - "Activity", "Bliss" and "Will", evoked in a music of rhythmic fervour, wonderfully scored. At first hearing, it left me breathless because of it's energy - but emotion? No, it would be out of place.
10) DEBUSSY: "Nocturnes" - one of the coldest, but one of the most fascinating works I know. Three marvellous studies of colour, shape and chord density, and my example that great music doesn't need emotion, when the composer has other stuff in mind.
Milhaud is a great suggestion!
Mainly because I’ve been listening to it lately, but de Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat is great Spanish inconsequence that demands nothing but gives everything.
Before I listened to Mr. Hurwitz’ video, the only music that I could think of was Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik, so perhaps Dave and I have similar views of this work. After listening to the video, I thought of Pachelbel’s Canon.
I find Triadic Memories spooky. For me spooky is draining.
Describing that house at Christmas had me laughing heartily as I finally saw it after hearing it be described to me countless times.
Then I'll see you on Old Tavern Rd in December!
Great list. Maybe Prokofiev First should be here?
Why not?
Great list, as usual. You're a guru, Dave. Any (or all) of Respighi's Roman Trilogy would work for me. For pure mindless fun I might choose Till Eulenspiegel for my Strauss item. Incidentally, Bolero was a popular sex piece when I was in college in the late 60's, well before "Ten" pointed it out.
Kind of sneaky brilliant, this video.
A list of boring/
thoughtless/overplayed/overrated pieces would be great :D I love to see you joking about less ... astonishing pieces.
Thank you for your work, Dave!
You know he would put Lalo's Symphonie espagnole in there, lol.
The mention of having sex to Bolero reminded me of a guy I met in New York in the 70s who said he loved having sex to the last movement of Mahler’s 4th Symphony. Chacun à son goût, but it would certainly be much more satisfying than trying to coordinate oneself with the hammer blow of the 6th Symphony’s last movement.
For my personal list, Sinding’s Third Symphony would be tied for first place with the Festa Romana.
Dear Dave, how could you leave out the Sweetest, Mindless, Breezy-est, Ultimate Chill Out music ever (for me, at least) - Rossini's string sonatas!
I’m not aware of any emotional music by Philip Glass but I enjoy it a lot for some reason. If you know any please feel free to give me suggestions🎶
I would add the Symphony 5-1/2 of Gillis.
I knew Stravinsky would be on the list and I very much like Mr. Hurwitz's appreciative selection of Agon, a true masterpiece. However, the first unexpressive Stravinsky work that came to my mind is another masterpiece, the Octet for Winds.
Stravinsky in general leaves me cold, so I do agree.
Poulenc's Concert champêtre and Mosolov's Iron Foundry would be my additions
I'd very happily jettison Bolero (great music?!) and replace it with your Poulenc selection, or Jeux, as suggested by J. Montanari!
Great concept
How can you be so heartless about Carmina Burana. Think of the poor swan, turning over the fire! It's either emotionally draining or mouth watering.
Given your association of Bolero with more modern "abstract" composition, can we say Ravel was the first minimalist? Or at least precursor?
Here’s a work I would highly recommend for a list like this: Vincent Persichetti’s “Masquerade” for concert band. Surprisingly consequential, amazingly modernist, yet emotionally light.
Hi David! Would you consider completing your Well-Tempered music video cycle at some time? I'm still waiting for you to get to that limbo of F sharp major.
I'll get there. I'm taking my time with it.
I'm surprised you didn't mention Scheherazade by Rismky-Korsakov - 45 minutes of mindless tuneful escapism.
Funny, no one's mentioned Poulenc. His light and frothy ballet suite Les biches should earn a spot on the the list. Same goes Concert champêtre or the concerto for two pianos. The surrealist farce, les mamelles de Tirésias is a hoot.
Yes, but I find all of his music to be moving, even at its most seemingly frivolous.
Great fun. What about a composer who can occupy all ten positions? Your good friend Massenet, the king/master of 'fluff'😃
I took my wife to see Carmina Burana once. She said: "once is enough."
Sanjosemike (no longer in CA)
Nothing surpasses Cage's 4'33" in expressiveness.
Yes, just ask my cat.
I think anything by PDQ Bach beats this whole list but jokes aside maybe I'm going for more fun works but I might add Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije ( yes it does have some political meaning nonetheless it is really fun and farcical,) I might add his Classical symphony to that as well. I will also add Debussy's Sunken Cathedral (This one's particularly fun to play.) I agree with you about the Beethoven triple concerto but I think I'd also add the 8th symphony ( which I adore,) I mean quite a bit of it is just making fun of metronomes and if you want a laugh Wellington's Victory is there too. I think Stravinsky's Petrouschka fits this at least for me. The one I'm somewhat astounded you didn't include is the 1812 overture or the Nutcracker, I mean one those has to make am I right?
most of the 'weepers' re: Bolero aren't weeping over the music, but rather the ice skating performance.
Schubert's Trout Quintet is also deliciously superficial.
Another contender: Walton. Symphony #2.
I believe some musical "fluff" is called for. An orchestral suite by Massenet would fit perfectly.
I'd add Debussy's "Jeux" and Satie's "Parade," wonderful pieces utterly unconcerned with stirring an emotional response.
"Jeux" is more about s*x than anything else...Under shadows and then-new electric lights,
no less
Most of the music of J.Francaix
I was waiting for Stravinsky to pop up. I thought of Apollo but Agon's a better choice.
Personally, I would nominate virtually all of Webern whose music is devoid of emotion or expression, intentionally so I'm sure.
Yes Stravinsky was good at leaving emotion aside. With an exception of at least this, a great one for me - of the chorale at the end of Symphonies of Wind Instruments. To be sure it’s not emotionally draining like … you name it. However 🙏🏽
For me, Pulcinella does the trick, easy to listen and enjoy, pure delight, no emotion. Agon requires too much attention, maybe because I didn't listen it enough. So here I am, having to keep on listening. Thank you, Dave!
Carmina Burana is the pop music of its age, so it seems.
Holst: Egdon Heath could be also considered.
Mozart's Musical Joke is good for a laugh, too.
How about Bach's The Art of Fugue? Fascinating - yes. Expressive - no. It's just about what you can do with a fugue.
How about a list of the ten most humouress/humourless pieces of great music?
I wouldn't know where to begin. How about the ten most humorless classical music listeners?
Totally ignoring sex, I’d add Helmut Lachenmann’s string quartet “Gran Torso” to your list.
Mostly anything by Liszt for me!
Sorry, I didn't understand why Eine kleine Nachtmusik is on the list.
Do you think it is somewhat emotionally draining, or that it is not great?
Strongly disagree about Orff's Carmina, with their oppressive rhythms, their clangour and the unfulfilled love in the baritone soli.
That's OK. I'll manage!
For me the most careless (for listening, not for playing :-) ) piece is Glinka´s ouverture to Ruslan and Ludmila.
Can't fault that choice. A thoroughly delightful piece of fluff. Smetana's Bartered Bride overture is another one
Anything by Philip Glass.
No. The condition "great musical work" is not fulfilled. :)
Riley In C? That's an incredibly stressful work. Every time I sit thru it, while praying for a quick end, I grit my teeth and internally rage in disgust at that stupid piece of anti-music. It drains me. It may be "iconic", but it's not great music.
I love Riley in C and have multiple versions of it. Of course it is perfectly OK to hate it but in that case why do you have to listen to it at all? Just curious.
I find Bolero very boring with its repeated musical phrases. The snare drum player doesn't need to have his snare drum part in front of him on a stand ,but merely plays as if he was a human metronome .Just my opinion, of course.
I despise it too. And it would not surprise me if in fact more people hate it than love it (excluding those who have no taste at all, of course). Also it seems fairly well established that Ravel himself was sorry he wrote it. Then (oh the agony …) Maurice Béjart made a horrible ballet (so to speak) out of it that adds insult to injury (or schlock to boredom, as the case may be). Béjart was a fantastically innovative choreographer, but seems to have periodically had serious lapses in judgment and this was, in my opinion, the worst one.
Anything by Bruckner has to be the least emotionally draining music ever written (sorry just joking 😁)...